National Content: Poland

The first cloud of the radioactive air appeared above Poland about the midnight 27/28 April. The Station of Radioactive Contamination Measure in Miko³ajki diagnosed a few hundreds percent increase of the gamma radiance’s volume in the air, and respectively even a 700% increase of the beta radiance. The following day, in the afternoon, there was set up an the anti- crisis group within the Central Laboratory of Radiological Protection so as to elaborate and co- ordinate the protection’s plan in face of the danger coming from the east. At 6 p.m., finally it was known the fact what place was the source of the disaster. That information was actually achieved thanks to the BBC Radio. The Technical Institute of the Airlines Army was recommended to collect the probes of the air from various height levels from over the Polish- Russian border. The studies gave many important and essential data both to Poland and other interested at that question countries , allowing for extrapolating the expected threats. There was set up a close co- operation between Poland and the Great Britain, France, Finland and Sweden. There were put forward immediately the projects of the protection against the radioactive iodine- a deadly toxin which otherwise would threaten the whole population with a cancer explosion. The Polish children were provided with non- radioactive iodine type which was to defend them from the dangerous sort of iodine, namely iodine- 131. All the decisions was made up through the discussions proceeded between the professional specialists and the communistic Polish Government. (the night 28/29 April). All the Stations were to work within the alert mode. The action was officially announced by the Polish Government on 29 April at 11 o’clock. The action lasted to 5 May. The decisive majority of children was served with Lugola liquid. The USA State Secretary G. Schultz said then: “Poland has treated that case in completely different way than the Soviet Union. Poland has informed its society so extensively as only possibly it was to be.”